Large construction structures often need to be scaled for various purposes. For example, large towers are often scaled to change or improve equipment, modify or reinforce the structure of the tower, and maintain the tower. In one particular type of tower, the cell phone tower, new innovations and increased demands have created a need to add additional weight to the cell phone tower. Often, it is necessary or desirable to reinforce the cell phone tower to accommodate the additional weight. One technique for reinforcement uses blind bolts. Typically, the blind bolt is used for securing reinforcing the structure or to add additional equipment to the original tower. Of course blind bolts may be used for a variety of different purposes on a variety of different structures.
A blind bolt is inserted into a hole provided in the structure and the far end of the bolt is secured within the structure. Some blind bolts may have an expanding structure on the far end of the bolt that will expand and prevent the bolt from sliding back through the hole. The expanding structure is a “bolt head” as that term is used herein. The head of the blind bolt is inserted into a bore terminating at an inaccessible area. A folded washer is inserted through the hole in a folded orientation. On the other side of the hole, the washer is unfolded and placed on the bolt. The washer will then not pass through the hole in the structure and the bolt head will not pass through the hole in the washer. Thus, the far end of the blind bolt is secured within the structure. Once the far end of the blind bolt is secured, a nut is placed on the near end of the blind bolt and the nut is tightened to secure the blind bolt to the structure. A tool may be provided for holding the blind bolt as the nut is tightened.
While prior bolt and tool hardware has worked reasonably well, a need exists for an easier, faster and more durable blind bolt and tool combination.